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What is "screw around"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Screw around

Screw \Screw\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Screwed; p. pr. & vb. n. Screwing.]

  1. To turn, as a screw; to apply a screw to; to press, fasten, or make firm, by means of a screw or screws; as, to screw a lock on a door; to screw a press.

  2. To force; to squeeze; to press, as by screws.

    But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail.
    --Shak.

  3. Hence: To practice extortion upon; to oppress by unreasonable or extortionate exactions.

    Our country landlords, by unmeasurable screwing and racking their tenants, have already reduced the miserable people to a worse condition than the peasants in France.
    --swift.

  4. To twist; to distort; as, to screw his visage.

    He screwed his face into a hardened smile.
    --Dryden.

  5. To examine rigidly, as a student; to subject to a severe examination. [Cant, American Colleges] To screw out, to press out; to extort. To screw up,

    1. to force; to bring by violent pressure.
      --Howell.

    2. to damage by unskillful effort; to bungle; to botch; to mess up.

    3. [intrans] to fail by unskillful effort, usu. causing unpleasant consequences. To screw in, to force in by turning or twisting. Screw around

      1. to act aimlessly or unproductively.

      2. screw around with, to operate or make changes on (a machine or device) without expert knowledge; to fiddle with.

      3. [Colloq.]commit adultery; to be sexually promiscuous.

Usage examples of "screw around".

I figured he was wrong on that score, but then I'd never imagined they'd screw around on me.

Final point, if they have to scatter the boats, they don't have to screw around in a single channel, they can all surface, spread out, and run for daylight.

When you cross, don't screw around-run and keep low, and come to me.

Amazing that a man with such a lovely wife would feel the need to screw around, but that was life, wasn't it?

It's better if we permit them to screw around and keep a loose control over them.

All right, so he liked to screw around a little, get under people's skin.

I didn't drink or smoke or do drugs or screw around with any dumb-ass guys.